Post/Author/DateTime	Post
baltasar_basilius 12-03-06, 02:36 AM	I just happen to be glance past this PrC... and i was so shocked that this CANNOT be right, or is it? 7 Druid /10 Vermin Lord/Last 3 whatever So you take 7 druid to qualify for the PrC(you could cast giant vermin and qualify as a cleric too, but its not helpful with this build.) Then take 10 levels of Vermin Lord PrC until you gain the hive mind ability. A "hivemind" is a grouping of dozens to thousands of the same type of creature, all linked together by their minds. A hivemind must be made up of animals or vermin, and no single individual can be more than 10 feet away from another member. So the vermin lord has a caster level of 13 (7 from druid and 6 from VL). He will summon 2 swarms of spiders- each has a space of 10 feet, so if you put them next to each other is one big blob of 10' by 10' and nothing is more than 10' from another. He will create a hivemind with the spiders, and then the magic begins. The hivemind will now gain a new INT and CHA(the vermin lord is connected to the hivemind, but wont recieve the new stats too, but just wait).Both stats are based on how many memebers are joined into the hivemind. MM 1 says that 1 swarm of spiders contains 1500- so 2 swarms put side by side would hold 3000. INT: A hivemind of 150 members has an INT of 10 and it gains +1 INT for every 50 more members. (3000-150)/50=57 So intelligence of 10 plus 57= 67 INT. The hivemind can now invest 1 skill point and 1 feat for each INT bonus mod- which would be 28 feats and skill points. CHA: charisma is less confusing to calculate. its a straight up base of 2 and a +1 for each 50. (3000/50)=60, plus base of 2 equals 62.(they should just have spiders sell used cars, they could bluff their way into any sale.)Now here is the kicker... for each charisma point over 17- you can cast as a sorcerer of that many levels! I kid you not, this puppy is casting at a sorcerer level 45, with a charisma of 62. Now obviously, stupid little 2 HD swarms of spiders wont last in battle when your at lvl 17, but you can make some insane buffs or non-combat spells with this. For example, with a metamagic rod of extend, you could shapechange for 15 hours into a 25 HD creature. I dont know- im sure you can think of plenty other things to do with high caster levels and crazy DCs. anyway- just wondering, is this really possible? please find a hole in the argument, cause this is just silly.
Lokiyn 12-03-06, 03:26 AM	http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=386506
Tenebrous_Sage 12-03-06, 03:29 AM	We've know about the Vermin Lord for awhile. EDIT: Damnit Lokiyn!
Chrono Nexus 12-03-06, 03:35 AM	Interesting build, but sorry, Red wizards beats it out. Never misunderestimate the power, er, I mean brokenness, of Faerun. Wiz 5/ Red Wizard 5 and leadership. You get an effective +8 to your caster level all day long, and more if you can get red wizards aside from your followers to participate (maximum 40th level effective casting). Also, the red wizard spell power allows a character to raise spells of his specialized school further. (This takes one hour, and lasts for 24). This is core only, by the way. I think you're misinterpreting how the swarms raise your caster level. They raise your effective caster level, not your actual. Meaning your character cast spells at a heightened power, but your caster is still only capable of casting level 5 spells. The metamagic shapechange idea is interesting, but while transformed you would get monster dice, not levels. Also, anything combined with divine metamagic is powerful, regardless of the build. I attribute the effectiveness of your build to that mostly. I'm fuzzy on the prerequisites of epic casting. I really don't know what they are- but if an artificially raised caster level and HD is all it takes, there is something wrong. Shapechange should not be readily accessible to a tenth level character.
baltasar_basilius 12-03-06, 10:41 AM	Yeah, right after i linked the post to someone in my group last night he showed me the HIVE thread. I think he took a few liberties that aren't RAW in that one, but whatever- thats the smashed china calling the cracked window broken. ;) At least im proud of finding this one by myself.